


Kisses for the New Year

by coffeejunkii



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, New Year's Eve, coming home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 00:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9148552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeejunkii/pseuds/coffeejunkii
Summary: New Year's Eve doesn't turn out quite as lonely as Phil expected.





	

It’s 10:57pm on New Year’s Eve and Phil is in his office, pouring over end-of-year reports. This is not unusual, but Phil hoped this year would be different. It had been a faint hope, quickly dashed by an emergency op that took Clint halfway around the world.

Phil pushes his files and maudlin mood aside and decides to see if there’s anything edible left in the cafeteria. 

He skips the questionable sandwiches, but the chocolate pudding looks inviting. The espresso machine tempts him. He does want to sleep tonight, so he resists. Phil once tried the decaf and felt so wired afterward that he suspected that R&D was doing a secret experiment.

The cafeteria doors whoosh open and Phil turns to see which other unlucky agent is on duty tonight. 

He’s unprepared to see Clint. 

Clint, who lingers in the door and whose hair is still a little wet and who’s wearing SHIELD-issued sweats. He must have come here straight from his post-debrief shower.

Clint straightens his shoulders and heads over to Phil. “That any good?” He nods at the pudding.

“Haven’t tried it yet.” Phil’s throat feels dry. “What are you doing here?” That didn’t come out right, but Phil’s brain can’t quite process that Clint is here, standing next to him, which should be impossible.

Clint shrugs. “Found an opportunity to get back early.” He helps himself to a bowl of chocolate pudding.

They sit. Clint slides on the bench next to Phil instead of taking the opposite one. Their thighs bump and they start eating their dessert. It’s quiet and comfortable. 

“Seriously, how did you make it back here?” Phil asks. “I thought there was a storm that prevented any planes from taking off.” The op itself had been a milk run for once, but then the entire team was grounded by a snow storm.

Clint looks at Phil. There are dark circles under his eyes and he looks exhausted, but also content. “Got lucky. There was a brief break in the storm, and this cargo plane that was going out, so I caught a ride. For a small fee.”

Phil smiles. “You mean you bribed someone.”

“Gotta spend my money somehow, right?” 

“It’s a worthy cause.” Phil realizes what he’s said and looks down at this pudding. He catches Clint’s smile out of the corner of his eye.

“I’d say.” Clint sets down his spoon. “Look, I…”

Phil turns back toward him. “What?”

“I really wanted to—to come back. For New Year’s. Because…remember last year?”

“I do.” 

Last year, Clint caught a brutal cold-flu thing right after Christmas and Medical wanted to keep him overnight for observation, but Phil promised he’d keep a close eye on Clint. It certainly exceeded his handler responsibilities, but, well. It was Clint. And there was no way Phil would have left Clint in Medical on New Year’s Eve.

They hunkered down in Phil’s apartment with take-out and a movie marathon. Clint was asleep, tipped against Phil’s side, by midnight, but it was still one of the best starts into the new year that Phil could remember.

The evening led to many more evenings spent watching movies and TV together. 

“Yeah, so, I’d hoped that…” Clint draws in a breath. “That we’d spend tonight together, like last year. Except with me feeling a lot better. So when there was a chance to get back, I had to take it.”

“I’m glad.” Perhaps it was time for a little honesty on Phil’s part, too. “I was rather disappointed when you got called away.”

“Me too.” Clint studies Phil, eyes soft and caring. His fingers edge across the table until they knock against Phil’s. “Also, just so we’re clear, I wanted to come back so I could spend New Year’s Eve with you.”

Phil looks down at Clint’s hand. He’s fairly certain the he’s reading this right. He hesitates another moment and then wraps his fingers around Clint’s. 

They sit like this for a moment, fingers laced together. It feels like a big step, but one that has been a long time coming.

“I’m glad you made it back,” Phil says.

Clint leans closer so that their shoulders bump. “So, um, you know how they say that whoever you kiss on New Year’s and all that?”

Phil smiles. “It’s still twenty-eight minutes until midnight.”

“Okay, but the principle still ho—”

Phil kisses Clint because he’s tired of waiting. He’s wanted to kiss Clint for months.

Clint makes a happy noise and kisses back. He lets go of Phil’s hand and wraps that arm around Phil's waist. Phil’s fingers find their way into Clint’s hair and then all coherent thoughts fly out of Phil’s brain because Clint doesn’t hold anything back.

“Wow,” Clint mumbles afterward.

Phil’s ears feel warm. Yeah, that wasn’t bad as far as first kisses go. “We could do this again. At midnight.”

“And after. And tomorrow. And—”

Phil kisses him again, quick and sweet. “Yes.”

“But maybe not here. We could go to your office, or to your place?” 

“Home.” Phil wants to take Clint home, maybe watch half a movie, and then go to bed. Together. He stands and holds out his hand. 

Clint takes it, a shy smile on his face. “Yeah, let’s go home.”


End file.
